HST Test movements: 3/3/21 and 10/5/21

Not much happening obviously, but HST movement, over the S & C, Crewe Heritage Center to Carlisle today. Running later than original timings, now due through Ribblehead 11.55, so worth a look. No idea what the movement is for ?? There's also 'light engine' move Carlisle 13.43 to Crewe HS, but I think this has been planned for a few days but not happened.

 

Crew training/route learning for a potential return of the LSL tourist trains later in the year?

 

Several pages of discussion of this on WNXX. That seems to be looking likely, ongoing discussions between the parties...........

 

Mugged by a stopper !!!!!

 

I print screened it as well.....the law according to Saint Sod!

 

Have to try it at Kirkby Stephen !!

 

I assumed that in these times of very limited loadings it was just a replacement for the usual northern service.

 

Crawling through K S; not exactly East Coast / GWR speeds !!

 

Not mine but a picture from yesterday. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4105384732840000&set=gm.1042586396230184

 

Didn't realize it's a regular so far this week !!!!

 

FIVE minute turnaround Carlisle and on the way back !

 

Presumably if they're training on HSTs it implies they're planning to run it with HSTs if/when it recommences? I had assumed that the temporary acquisition and repainting of 40145 meant they'd be using that and their own 40.

 

They don't have a class 40 of their own. They had D213 on hire, but that has a major engine defect which is still currently under repair.
The main issue has been the stock used last year is not available, it has gone into the loco hauled Inter city rake (seen below).
It is now thought the staycation express plan is to run with the 2nd HST set (first being the Blue Pullman conversion) and the coaches for that are at Eastleigh being refurbished. HST Mark 3 coaches are not compatible with being loco hauled, so it will have to be a HST set, albeit expected to be a shortened set. It is also believed the train will now run Skipton - Carlisle rather than just Appleby.

However, all the above is just speculation until confirmed by LSL.

Back to the Nineties ... by Phoenix Images, on Flickr

 

Yeh, good innit, but if you had a choice I reckon, like me, you'd prefer to stand on a wind swept, rain soaked station platform and watch a worked stained Duchess hammer through on the Mid-Day Scot or an A4 on the Elizabethan, plus all the other steam hauled passenger and freight trains in between.
Then go home with a notebook full of numbers to underline in your 'combined'
They were grand days and I do feel sorry for some members of this forum who are too young to have experienced them.

 

Suggested arrangements currently being negotiated with Network Rail is 09:30 Appleby - Skipton then Skipton - Carlisle for first circuit then 16:15 Carlisle - Skipton then Skipton - Appleby for 2nd circuit with train working Mon - Thursday and maintenance (at Crewe ? ) on Friday. These timings might be changed according to traffic patterns at either end of the circuit but offers a good day out IMHO.